


Kiss You Better

by aworldoffandoms



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Romantic Fluff, Sexual Tension, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr Prompt, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:47:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23979997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aworldoffandoms/pseuds/aworldoffandoms
Summary: After a long week at work Nicolette gives Bryce too much of her attention and Ethan doesn’t like that.
Relationships: Bryce Lahela/Main Character (Open Heart), Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	Kiss You Better

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt from a set of prompts here:   
> https://hnryycvll.tumblr.com/post/612750300620718080/l-o-v-e-prompt-list-we-could-if-you-want-hear-me
> 
> Prompts are in bold.

There is a long drawn out sigh as Nicolette rests her chin in her palm, the popular folk music a dull ringing in her ears as she sits with her friends after a rather long week at Edenbrook.

“What’s wrong, Nic? Tired?” 

Nicolette shifts her gaze from her half-drunk beer and lands her gaze on Bryce, his arm slung over her shoulder, his eyes kind and open. 

Nicolette nods, leaning into his touch comfortingly. “You could say that. I’ve had so much on my plate this week that I’m surprised that I haven’t broken down or run around screaming yet.” 

Bryce chuckles, his arm squeezing her tighter against him, his free hand lifting his beer to his lips. “I know the feeling. I was in three back to back surgeries yesterday.” 

Nicolette gasps. “Bryce!” 

Bryce shrugs his shoulders, his flirty smirk lifting his lips. “What? The attendings can’t get enough of Doctor Lahela so why should I deprive them of such?” 

Nicolette rolls her eyes, pocking him in the side, he retaliates with a tickle to her ribs and she shrieks, garnering the attending of a few patrons inside Donahue’s.

“Bryce! Stop. Y’know I’m ticklish there!” 

He kisses the side of her mouth and whispers in her ear. “That’s the point, Nic. My hands know how to push your buttons.” 

Nicolette playfully pulls away from him. “You are incorrigible.” 

Bryce gives her his trademark wink and sips his beer once more. “That’s why you like me so much.” 

“Maybe. It’s still up for revision.” 

Bryce laughs as his attention goes to the rest of her roommates. While the rest of her friends are involved in their own conversations, Nicolette’s thoughts pull her in again and she can’t help but let her gaze wander as she thinks. 

This week was full of ups and downs and Esme Ortega, her intern, was giving her unnecessary trouble. She was a good doctor, yes, but she tends to do things her way when she should run it by Nicolette first and then the diagnostics team had their first death (well _Nicolette’s_ first death whilst on the team) as one of their patients had an uncurable rare form of immune disease. Ethan had told her not to think too much of it, saying it was part of the job, but it still affected her. 

She was surrounded by death daily and still seeing it up close and how easily it can happen shook her.

As soon as she thought of Ethan her eyes happened to glance over and find themselves making contact with his. 

Her heart thunders in her chest and the sharp intake of breath she took left her dizzy as she found Ethan’s blue gaze sharp and intense. Her palms began to sweat. 

Ethan’s gaze snapped to the doctor beside her when Bryce let out another laugh and Ethan’s jaw tightens with what Nicolette can only assume as jealousy. 

His eyes flash as they meet hers again and Nicolette’s breath almost stops. 

She didn’t understand why he would be jealous. He was the one who wanted to end things with her. _He_ wants to be professional, _he_ wants to pretend that there is nothing between them. 

He had no control over who she could see and if that was Bryce then so be it. It was the only chance for her to get over him. Maybe it was wrong of her to string Bryce along but he was more than happy to distract her and Nicolette was up for the distraction. Ethan already held an ungodly amount of her heart and it was time she gave it to someone who appreciates it. Bryce was a fun, gentle guy. Why not him? 

“I’m gonna get more rounds. Save my seat.” 

Nicolette vaguely feels a kiss on her cheek until a knowing voice pulls her out of her concentration on one blue-eyed diagnostician. 

**“Stop staring at him.”**

“Huh?” That was Nicolette’s smart response and her cheeks flush when she meets the sweet brown eyes of her best friend, Sienna. Her smile was knowing and she raises her eyebrows as if to say ‘don’t play dumb with me’. 

Nicolette glances down at her twined fingers. “I’m not staring.” 

Sienna giggles. “Seems like it to me.” 

“Well, I should stop. It’s _unprofessional_.” 

The word spits out like bitter venom and Nicolette can’t help but hate that word. It was the bane of her existence. 

“What’s wrong?” 

There is a note of worry in Sienna’s voice and she places her hand on Nicolette’s shoulder. 

Nicolette shakes her head and gives her best friend a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

Sienna casts her a glance and she sighs. “Only if you’re sure, Nic.” 

Nicolette smiles and squeezes Sienna’s hand on her shoulder. “I am. I’m just gonna go outside to the garden for a few minutes. Let Bryce know I’ll be back in ten?” 

Sienna nods and lets her go as Nicolette, slips out of the booth and heads to the back door which leads outside.

When she reaches the beer garden, Nicolette leans against the wall next to some ferns and breathes out a long breath, the tension in her shoulders leaving her body and her heart beat slowing to a normal pace. 

However, she doesn’t have any time to think before she’s yanked into a dark corner of the beer garden and is braced against a large, solid body. 

There is a sharp intake of breath and she looks into the eyes of the attending that has consumed her world for the past year. 

_Why can’t he leave me alone? Can’t he see he’s hurting me?_

“Ethan? What are you doing?” 

Ethan stares down at her, his palms gently gripping her forearms, their chests almost touching. His brow furrows but his jaw tightens against the shadow of his beard. 

“I don’t know but I know that I had to talk to you.’ 

Nicolette gives him a look. “Why?” 

Ethan sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “I saw how despondent you looked at your booth and just wanted to check to see if you’re alright. _Lahela_ seemed to do that for you though.”

Nicolette steps back from him to give her space because she couldn’t think with him so close and it wouldn’t do well for anyone to see them in this position. 

“Were you watching me?” 

Ethan grunts and he swallows at his admission. “Would it seem less embarrassing if I said yes?” 

Nicolette smiles and a chuckle escapes her. “No. Either way, it’s embarrassing because you’re openly admitting that you’ve been watching me.” 

Ethan sighs again but brings his hands to her elbows and pulls her closer. “I can’t blame anyone but myself with that.” 

“Why?” 

“It’s pretty hard to ignore when you have Lahela draped around you like a goddamn vine.” 

Nicolette resists the urge to smirk at the resounding jealousy she can hear and see in his voice and expression. 

“Oh? What do you have against Bryce?” 

Ethan attempts a shrug but it comes off as half-hearted. “Nothing particularly.” 

“Is it because you’ve seen me with him?” 

Ethan glances down at her and he can’t help the longing that shoots through him at her proximity.

He licks his lips as he says the next words, ignoring her question completely. 

“Tell me…does he make everything better?” 

Nicolette’s eyebrows furrow in confusion but she answers him anyway. 

“Uh…yeah. He’s good at making me feel better about myself and—”

“Does he kiss better than me?” 

Nicolette blanches at his words and steps back, her face in open shock. “Wh-what? What has that got anything to do with it?” 

Ethan gives a shrug and closes the distance between them again and runs a finger down her jaw and Nicolette can’t help but shiver at the sensation of it. He was so close that she could smell his aftershave, the smell of cedarwood and just _him_. 

Nicolette tips her head up and meets his eyes. “If I didn’t know any better, I think you’d want to kiss me, Doctor Ramsey.” 

Ethan’s blue eyes are like a raging storm of the dark ocean and Nicolette’s pulse increases at the sight. 

“And your diagnoses would be correct, Doctor Valentine.” 

His hands are around her waist now and he draws her closer, their mouths only a few inches apart. 

“ **Let me kiss you better**. Let me kiss you better than Lahela because I know you want me too.” 

“Confident aren’t you, Ramsey?” 

Ethan gives her a smirk and leaves a light kiss to the underside of her jaw. “Yes. Very much so.” 

Nicolette gasps and a small whimper leaves her lips and she talks through breathy moans as he continues his attention on her neck. 

“There’s no competition, Ethan. You should know that by now.” 

Ethan smiles against her neck and gives her a lingering kiss behind her ear. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” 

It’s far more than ten minutes before Nicolette returns, her face flushed and a dreamy gleam in her eye.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr here: 
> 
> https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/aworldoffandoms/613740397043351552
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


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